Gallery: Magdeleine Vallières makes history at 2025 road world championships

“I told myself I didn’t want to have any regrets,” Magdeleine Vallières said of her mindset at 2026 UCI road world championships. After winning the race, the Canadian added “I don’t.”

It’s an incredible show of strength on a brutally tough day in the saddle. The demanding course put even the pre-race favourites on the back foot, waiting for each other to make a move.

While the established stars of women’s cycling hid, the Canadian had the courage to attack. The reward was a beautiful victory on a historic day in Kigali.

Here’s the 2026 UCI women’s road world championships, the course, the race and the emotions, in photographs.

Gallery: Magdeleine Vallières wins 2025 UCI road world championships

It was a beautiful day to race in Kigali, but the peloton did not stay together long

Huge crowds lined the course

The cobbled Côte de Kimihurura added difficulty to an already challenging parcours

Canada's Alison Jackson is no stranger to powering over cobbles. The Paris-Roubaix winner helped deliver Vallières to the finale in winning form.

Niamh Fisher-Black animated the race, helping break up the lead group

Vallières remained near the front, waiting patiently

The final approach, with a huge Rwandan crowd

The celebration

And the emotion

SO MANY EMOTIONS

Canadian teammate, and EF teammate, Alison Jackson was there to greet Vallières at the finish line

It all starts to sink in

After the celebration, come the TV cameras and administrative duties

And then, podiums!

Stars like Pauline Ferrand-Prevot were left to fight for positions and wo

Your 2025 elite women's world champion!

“I’m been dreaming about it for a while now, It was my dream to win it” Vallières said after the race “I guess it’s true now!”

Now, the Canadian will have a year to enjoy racing in the rainbows of world champion. She’ll also get to look forward to 2026, when road world championships return to her home province of Quebec.

All photos courtesy of Sirotti.